Control device with axially aligned, independently rotatable variable resistors

ABSTRACT

At least two sets of dual, axially aligned, independently rotatable variable resistors are operable about a common axis, the two sets being carried in a side by side relationship.

United States Patent Puerner Nov. 4, 1975 CONTROL DEVICE WITH AXIALLY 2,871,324 1/1959 Budd 338/128 IG D INDEPENDENTLY ROTATABLE 2,874,255 2/1959 Budd et a1. 338/131 3,256,713 6/1966 Luefling et al 338/131 X VARIABLE RESISTORS 3,373,393 3/1968 Hanenstine et a1. 338/134 [75] Inventor: George 0. Puerner, Frankfort, Ind. 3,609,648 9/1971 Sebas et al 338/128 3,611,24 1 l P 338 134 [73] Assrgnee: P. R. Mallory & Co. Inc., 5 0/ 971 uemer Indianapolis, Ind. Prima Examiner-Volod m r Y. Ma ewsk 22 Fld: 1 1974 W y y y Y 1 16 June Attorney, Agent, or FirmChar1es W. Hofimann; [2]] Appl. No: 477,919 Robert F. Meyer; Donald W. Hanson [52] US. Cl. 338/134; 338/131; 338/320 [51] Int. Cl. HOlC 10/16 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 338/123, 124, 125, 126,

129, 132, 133, 134, At least two sets of dual, axially aligned, indepen- 197, 320 dently rotatable variable resistors are operable about a common axis, the two sets being carried in a side by References Cited side relationship.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Arisman et al. 338/134 I 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov 4, 1975 CONTROL DEVICE WITH AXIALLY ALIGNED, INDEPENDENTLY ROTATABLE VARIABLE RESISTORS Generally speaking the present invention relates to a control device which, in general, comprisesat least two sets of dual, axially aligned, independently rotatable variable resistors operable about a common axis and carrying means carrying the two sets in a side by said relationship.

The present control device is particularly useful on appliances such as television sets where multiple variables such as volume control, color control, etc are continually being adjusted. Additionally, there are other variables, such as horizontal, vertical, and brightness controls which may only need be adjusted at infre quent intervals. Many televisions have the variable resistors which control such variables separated, dividing them in accordance with whether they are frequently or infrequently varied. This, of course, adds to the complexity of the television set.

Accordingly it is a feature of the present invention to provide a control device which has a relative great number of variable resistors constructed in a single unit which is neat and compact. Another feature of the invention is the provision of a control device having a number of variable resistors constructed in a single unit, the variable resistors which are more frequently used being accessible through rotatable shafts and those not frequently used being accessible by inserting a tool through the rotatable shafts. Another feature of the invention is the provision of a control device having a first control unit comprising at least two variable resistors carried in a first housing, a second control unit comprising at least two variable resistors carried in a second housing, and retaining means holding the units together. Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of a control device having at least two sets of duel, axially aligned and independently rotatable variable resistors disposed in a side by side relationship. Still another feature of the invention is the provision of such a control device wherein the means carrying the sets of dual variable resistors is a housing which includes individual cup shaped members each having a bottom portion and upstanding sides, and a base closing the cup shaped members, and retaining means holding the housings together. Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a control device wherein the housings are held together in a back-to-back relationship, the bottom portion of the housings being welded together. Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a control device wherein the variable resistors are journalled for rotation about a bearing flange extending from an aperture in the base members.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the control device;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the housings for the control device.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a control device which in general comprises two control units 1 and 2 each having at least two variable resistors to provide, in the illustrated embodiment, three sets of dual variable resistors l2, l4, and 16 which are carried in a side by side relationship through a carrying means 18. Each set of variable resistors are axially aligned and are operable about a common axis A. The variable resistors are-of the type well known in the art and in general include rotors 22 and 24, resistance paths 30 and 32, collector paths 34 and 36, and electrical contact means 38 and 40 electrically bridging the resistance paths with the collector paths. A hollow shaft 26 extends from and is in line with rotor 22 to provide a bore 25. Rotor 22 is rotated through shaft 26 while rotor 24 is rotated by inserting an appropriate tool, such as a screw driver, in either of slots 28 or 28 and turning the tool. When using slot 28, the tool is inserted through bore 25.

Carrying means 18 comprises a pair of housings 20 each comprising open cup shaped members 42 and 44 which are closed by base members 46 and 48. Each cup shaped member includes bottom portions 50 and 52 with opposed upstanding sides 54, 56, 58, and 60 providing four sides extending from the bottom portion. Opposed sides 54 and 58 have slots 62 and 64 into which mounting legs 66 and 68 can be inserted for mounting the unit to a panel. As particularly shown in FIG. 3, the cup shaped members are disposed against each other, in back-to-back relationship, by abutting their bottom portions against each other. The cup shaped members are held in this relationship through retaining means 70 which, in the present embodiment includes a plurality of spot welds 72 connecting the bottom portions to each other. Base members 46 and 48, in the present embodiment, include electrical terminal boards 74 and 76 which carry a plurality of electrical terminals 78, the terminals being electrically connected to the resistance and collector paths of the resistors. The cup shaped members also include a detent 80 for each individual resistor. Such detents are engaged by lugs 82 carried by the individual rotors of the resistors to limit the rotors rotation.

The rotors are rotationally journalled to the housings through rims 84 and 86 extending from the rotors, the rims rotationally engaging bearing flanges 88 and 90 surrounding apertures 92 and 94 provided in base members 50 and 52.

In operation, rotor 22 is rotated through shaft 26 to vary the resistance as contact means 38 is moved over resistance path 30 and collector path 34. Such varying of resistance could be used to control the volume or color of a television, for example. Rotor 24 is rotated by either inserting a tool in slot 28 or in slot 28' by inserting the tool through bore 25 and apertures 92 and 94. Rotation of rotor 24 causes a change in resistance as contact means 40 is moved over resistance path 32 and collector 26. This change in resistance could be used to control such function as the vertical and horizontal adjustments on a television, for example.

What is claimed is:

1. A control device comprising a. a pair of cup shaped members, each having bottom portions and upstanding sides,

b. retaining means holding said cup-shaped members in back-to-back relationship such that said bottom portions abutt one-another,

c. at least two apertures in each of said bottom portions, two of said apertures in one of said bottom portion axially aligned with corresponding apertures in the other of said bottom portions,

d. bearing flanges extending from said apertures into each of said cup shaped members,

dielectric base members closing said cup shaped -members and having apertures disposed therein in line with said apertures in said bottom portions,

. dielectric rotors rotatably journalled on said bearingflanges and extending through said apertures in said base members, and means connected to said rotors to manually rotate said rotors, one of said rotors being hollow and said means connected to said rotor comprises a hollow shaft extending from said hollow rotor and means in the other of said rothereto. 

1. A control device comprising a. a pair of cup shaped members, each having bottom portions and upstanding sides, b. retaining means holding said cup-shaped members in back-toback relationship such that said bottom portions abutt oneanother, c. at least two apertures in each of said bottom portions, two of said apertures in one of said bottom portion axially aligned with corresponding apertures in the other of said bottom portions, d. bearing flanges extending from said apertures into each of said cup shaped members, e. dielectric base members closing said cup shaped members and having apertures disposed therein in line with said apertures in said bottom portions, f. dielectric rotors rotatably journalled on said bearing flanges and extending through said apertures in said base members, anD means connected to said rotors to manually rotate said rotors, one of said rotors being hollow and said means connected to said rotor comprises a hollow shaft extending from said hollow rotor and means in the other of said rotors receiving a tool inserted through said hollow shaft and rotor, and g. collector and resistance paths carried by said base members, and electrical contact means carried by said rotors electrically bridging said collector and said resistance paths.
 2. A control device according to claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises at least one weld bonding said cup-shaped members together.
 3. A control device according to claim 1 wherein there are three apertures in said bottom portions and three apertures in said base members corresponding thereto. 